U.S. patent number 4,961,489 [Application Number 06/515,313] was granted by the patent office on 1990-10-09 for product handling system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to MAF Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Aaron J. Warkentin.
United States Patent |
4,961,489 |
Warkentin |
October 9, 1990 |
Product handling system
Abstract
A system for the processing and handling of products including
the method and apparatus therefor. A conveyor includes rocker
elements fixed thereto which may be selectively tipped by means of
an actuator and camming surface to off-load products conveyed in a
single file arrangement. The rocker elements are positioned on a
chain to form an elongate support for the conveyed products. Two
conveyors positioned side by side for receiving product in series
may be used to provide a full view of the surface of the product
for sensing by multiple sensors.
Inventors: |
Warkentin; Aaron J. (Orange
Cove, CA) |
Assignee: |
MAF Industries, Inc. (Traver,
CA)
|
Family
ID: |
24050838 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/515,313 |
Filed: |
July 18, 1983 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
198/370.04;
198/706; 209/539; 209/698; 198/802; 209/652 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G
47/965 (20130101); B65G 2201/0211 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65G
47/74 (20060101); B65G 47/96 (20060101); B65G
47/94 (20060101); B65G 043/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;209/552,539,698,707,648,653,650,912,918 ;198/365,706,802,851 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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836518 |
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Jun 1960 |
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GB |
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1335114 |
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Oct 1973 |
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GB |
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2033866 |
|
May 1980 |
|
GB |
|
1597229 |
|
Sep 1981 |
|
GB |
|
2117341 |
|
Oct 1983 |
|
GB |
|
Primary Examiner: Hajec; Donald T.
Claims
I claim:
1. A product handling system, comprising
a conveyor having a conveying path and an elongate, endless roller
chain having multiple links extending along said conveying
path;
mounting elements fixed to said links, each said mounting element
having a pivot pin extending parallel to the said link to which
each said mounting element is fixed;
rocker elements pivotally mounted on said pivot pins, said rocker
elements including a bore for receipt of said pins and forming an
elongate conveying support along said conveying path, each said
mounting element and two said rocker elements each adjacent said
mounting element together forming a link set, each said link set
extending along said chain no more than the length of one said
link;
a guide element positioned between adjacent said link sets, each
said guide element including extended legs forming a guide channel
extending in the elongate direction of said roller chain, said
conveyor including an elongate guide member extending along said
conveying path and said guide channels being positioned on said
elongated guide member when on said conveying path; and
means for selectively pivoting individual ones of said rocker
elements to tip a portion of said conveying support and holding
more than one adjacent said rocker element at a time in the pivoted
condition.
2. A product handling system, comprising
a conveyor having a conveying path and an elongate, endless
flexible member extending along said conveying path;
rocker elements pivotally mounted about an axis parallel to said
conveying path on said member to form an elongate conveying support
along said conveying path; and
means for selectively pivoting individual ones of said rocker
elements and holding more than one adjacent said rocker element at
a time in the pivoted condition to tip a portion of said conveying
support, said means including a ramp positioned adjacent said
conveying path and a selectively movable actuator adjacent said
conveying path at one end of said ramp, said rocker elements each
including a protrusion, said actuator being selectively
positionable to move a said protrusion into engagement with said
ramp.
3. The product handling system of claim 2 wherein each said
protrusion includes a first wedge section having a first leading
edge and said ramp includes a second wedge section having a second
leading edge said first leading edge leading toward said second
leading edge in the direction of said conveying path.
4. The product handling system of claim 2 wherein said actuator
includes a pivot solenoid and a finger pivotally driven by said
solenoid.
5. The product handling system of claim 2 wherein the length of
said ramp is at least equal to the span of said rocker elements
supporting a unit of product.
6. A product handling system, comprising
an endless roller chain having links;
mounting elements, each said mounting element including legs to
form a channel extending to engage a said link of said roller chain
and having a first support face;
rocker elements pivotally mounted to said mounting elements and
having second support faces to form together an elongate support
with said first support faces of said mounting elements; and
pivot means for pivotally mounting said rocker elements to said
mounting elements, each said pivot means including a pivot pin
extending parallel to the said link to which said associated
mounting element is engaged, said pivot pin being fixed to one of
said mounting elements and said rocker elements, and a bore for
receipt of said pivot pin being fixed to the other of said mounting
element and said rocker element.
7. The product handling system of claim 6 wherein said rocker
elements are pivotally mounted about axes which, when on said
conveying path, are parallel to and laterally displaced from the
center of said conveying path.
8. The product handling system of claim 6 wherein said elongate
support is concave to form an elongate channel extending along the
elongate direction of said conveying support and includes ridges
transverse to the elongate direction of said elongate support to
form cavities on said elongate support for receipt of product.
9. A product handling system comprising
an endless chain having links;
mounting elements, each said mounting element being fixed to a said
link and having a surface with leading and trailing edges, each of
said leading and trailing edges having a pivot pin extending
therefrom and parallel to the link to which each said mounting
element is fixed;
rocker elements pivotally mounted to said mounting elements and
having bores for receipt of said pivot pins and support faces to
form together an elongate support; and
means for selectively pivoting individual ones of said rocker
elements and holding more than one adjacent said rocker element at
a time in the pivoted condition.
10. The product handling system of claim 9 wherein a said rocker
element is positioned on each pivot pin of each said mounting
element, each said mounting element and two adjacent said rocker
elements together forming a link set, each said link set extending
along said chain no more than the length of one said link.
11. A product handling system, comprising
an endless elongated chain having links;
mounting elements, each said mounting element being fixed to a said
link and having sides transverse to the elongate direction of said
chain, each said side having a pivot pin extending from said
mounting element parallel to the said link to which can said
mounting element is fixed;
rocker elements pivotally mounted to said mounting elements and
having bores for receipt of said pivot pins and support faces to
form together an elongate support, a said rocker element being
positioned on each pivot pin of each said mounting element, each
said mounting element and said two adjacent rocker elements
together forming a link set, each said link set extending along
said chain no more than the length of one said link; and
a guide element positioned between adjacent said link sets, each
said guide element including extended legs forming a guide channel
extending in the elongate direction of said endless chain
diametrically across said chain from said elongate support.
12. A product handling system, comprising
an endless chain having links;
mounting elements, said mounting elements being fixed to said links
and each said mounting element having a pivot pin extending from
said mounting element parallel to said link to which each said
mounting element is fixed;
first support faces; and
rocker elements pivotally mounted to said mounting elements, having
bores for receipt of said pivot pins and second support faces, at
least one said first and at least one said second support faces
together forming an elongate support.
13. The product handling system of claim 12 wherein said pivot pin
is laterally displaced from the center of said chain link.
14. The product handling system of claim 12 wherein each said
second support face is concave to form an elongate channel
extending along the elongate direction of said elongate support and
includes ridges transverse to the elongate direction of said
elongate support to form cavities on said elongate support for
receipt of product.
15. The product handling system of claim 14 wherein said ridges
extend upwardly in said channel to substantially below the top of
said channel.
16. The product handling system of claim 14 wherein said ridges are
substantially centered on said rocker elements.
17. The product handling system of claim 12 wherein adjacent ones
of said rocker elements are spaced one from the other.
18. The product handling system of claim 12 wherein said chain is a
roller chain having multiple links assembled end to end.
19. The product handling system of claim 12 wherein said mounting
elements include said first support faces.
20. The product handling system of claim 12 wherein said rocker
elements further have ribs extending transversely to said links and
outwardly from said second support faces, each said rib being
centered on said second support faces.
21. The product handling system of claim 12 wherein said mounting
elements each have legs forming a channel and shoulders adjacent
distal ends of said legs, said legs engaging a said link with said
shoulders in interlocking engagement therewith.
22. The product handling system of claim 12 further comprising
means for selectively pivoting individual ones of said rocker
elements to tip a portion of said elongate support.
23. The product handling system of claim 12 further comprising
means for selectively pivoting individual ones of said rocker
elements and holding more than one adjacent said rocker elements at
a time in the pivoted condition.
24. The product handling system of claim 23 wherein said rocker
elements define cavities therebetween along said elongate path.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The field of the present invention is systems for handling
products, particularly responsive to product unit
discrimination.
Product handling activities for the discrimination of product units
have long been used, particularly in the food product industry.
Such discrimination has been based on size, ripeness, color,
blemishes and the like. Until recent times, this activity was
generally undertaken by manual labor. The versatility of workers
for handling and processing large amounts and varieties of food
products has generally been unsurpassed. Such processing systems
generally included a conveyor passing work stations where workers
were able to distinguish and separate product units. Such labor was
generally inexpensive and seasonal. However, difficulties in
finding experienced seasonal workers and the normal administrative
problems associated with a flucuating work force have long created
a need for less labor intensive systems.
In defining the needs for product handling systems, as particularly
applied to the food industry, the nature, volume, relative unit
cost and variety of products severely inhibits the design of
handling equipment. Most food products must be handled with great
care to avoid damage. The perishable nature and large batch
quantities of products in season makes rapid processing a
necessity. The variety of products which must be processed at
different times to economically justify a food processing facility
places great demand for versatility on the equipment. Thus, a
substantial challenge exists in creating handling equipment to
replace the versatile human worker.
Recently, high speed electronics and sophisticated software have
provided increasing sensing capability for detecting size and
condition of individual product units and rapidly activating
responsive mechanisms to proceed to handle such products. However,
such systems require a more exacting placement of the product
units, a separation of product units, proper orientation and
reorientation of product units and means for quickly but gently
separating units one from another. The demands for such exacting
placement, control and operation are orders of magnitude more
stringent than for manual processing. Thus, the design of handling
systems has resulted in compromises in speed, efficiency and
product treatment.
An earlier system for the handling of products in a manner
acceptable for automatic sorting is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
4,106,628 to Warkentin et al for SORTER FOR FRUIT AND THE LIKE, the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In this
patented device, cups are arranged on a chain conveyor for holding
individual product units. Solenoids act to dump selected cups for
product separation responsive to discriminating sensing and
electronic commands. Other separating systems include devices for
batting or blowing selected units from a conveyor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to systems and methods for handling
and separating product units. A conveyor is employed which includes
elements capable of tipping or otherwise moving to off-load
individual units of a product being processed. The tipping or
moving of individual elements on a conveyor lends the system to
high speed processing of a stream of product units compatible with
electronic systems control.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an elongate
support may be defined by selectively movable elements to insure
the proper placement of such product units acceptable for
electronic sensing equipment. Additionally, the defined elongate
support is capable of receiving a wide variety of sizes and shapes
of products which may extend over more than one such movable
element or may fit individually within shallow cavities between
such elements.
Addressing another aspect of the present invention, the off-loading
of individual units of the product by movement of elements on a
conveyor may be specifically accomplished through the use of a
plurality of tipping or rocker elements privotally mounted to the
conveyor. By pivoting rocker elements about axes which are
generally parallel to the conveyor, off loading is accomplished
directly to the side and may be done so at a particular location or
locations. The tipping action allows the off-loaded product to roll
from the conveyor in a nondestructive manner. Through the use of
such rocker elements, the shallow cavities which may be formed
between the rocker elements are capable of retaining and handling a
great variety of products varying in length, width, shape, height
and sensitivity to damage. For example, according to the preferred
embodiment, products from pineapples to eggs may be processed from
the same conveying equipment.
A means for selectively pivoting the individual elements to effect
a tipping of a portion of the elongate support may be employed with
the rocker elements for the separation of individual product units
in the line of units on the conveyor. The individual tipping action
can give a controlled as well as selective off-loading of product
units. Products may be rolled from the conveyor in a gentle manner
to avoid injury. Through variation in the induced tipping action,
products may be rolled or slid in a more vigorous manner to insure
off-loading of the regularly shaped units. A triggering device and
a camming surface or ramp may be employed to effect such selective
tipping of the rocker elements. The triggering device may include a
solenoid compatible with electronic systems control. The rolling of
a product unit also may be used to effectively turn over the
product for inspection on the opposite side thereof on a companion
conveyor. Such a second conveyor may also be tipped in a like
manner to ease the transfer.
The movement of elements associated with a conveyor enables
individual product units to be quickly separated, gently handled,
and properly located for sensing. The versatility of such a system
requiring a minimum amount of actuation enables high speed
processing of a wide variety of products. As a result, a single
processing system may be employed to process a plurality of
different products. One facility may then be capable of great
utility in the food processing industry where a wide variety of
shapes, sizes and other characteristics must be handled in an
otherwise laborious batch process basis. Through use of the
appropriate sensing mechanisms and program, such a system becomes
capable of distinguishing and quickly separating product units
based on a wide variety of requirements. Thus, the present
invention provides a means to meet, without compromise, many of the
design requirements for product handling equipment.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to
provide an improved conveying system capable of high capacity
processing and separation of product units. Other and further
objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a selected portion of a conveyor product
handling system of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional end view taken along line 2--2 of FIG.
1.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a segment of a device of the present
invention illustrating two conveyors in a system.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional end view taken along line 4--4 of FIG.
3.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional end view taken along line 5--5 of FIG.
3.
FIG. 6 is a detailed elevation with portions broken away for
clarity of a conveyor of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a detailed elevation of a conveyor of the present
invention illustrating a means for selectively actuating individual
elements of the system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Turning in detail to the drawings, a preferred embodiment is
illustrated in a plurality of configurations. Looking first to FIG.
1, a product handling system is illustrated as including a conveyor
for conveying products 10, schematically illustrated in phantom.
The conveyor includes a conventional sprocket 12 mounted about a
shaft 14 for rotation in the direction of the arrow 16 as seen in
FIG. 1. A roller chain 18 is positioned about the sprocket 12.
Typically, a second sprocket (not shown) is aligned at a distant
point to mount the other end of the conveyor. The roller chain 18
forms an elongate flexible member in the conveyor and is endless in
that it forms a continuous loop.
The flexible member defined by the roller chain 18 includes links
20 and 22 which alternate along the chain and are generally hooked
end to end by means of pins 24. Surrounding the pins 24 are rollers
26 which engage the sprocket 12. The links 20 are wider than the
links 22 such that they can fit over the latter. The roller chain
18 is generally illustrated in this embodiment as one of a
standardized group of such chains commercially available.
The conveyor is arranged such that the roller chain 18 extends
along a conveying path established on the conveyor. A conveyor
frame 28 includes an elongate guide member 30 positioned thereon to
receive and support the roller chain 18. The cooperation between
the elongate guide member 30 and the roller chain 18 is perhaps
best illustrated in FIG. 2. The interaction between the roller
chain 18 and the elongate guide member 30 includes the rollers 26
moving along the guide member 30 with the links 22 running along
either side of the guide member 30. Naturally, the guide member 30
may be tapered at its end so as to improve the mating capability of
the member with the roller chain 18.
Fixed to the roller chain 18 are a series of elements contributing
to the capacity of the conveyor to appropriately handle and process
product units 10 thereon. Mounting elements 32 illustrated in cross
section in FIG. 4 are snap fit onto each link 22. The mounting
member 32 is generally shaped as a channel in cross section with
shoulders 34 formed near the ends of the legs of the channel. These
shoulders act to engage the bottom of the link 22 to maintain the
mounting element 32 in position. A bevel 36 extends along the ends
of each leg of the channel to facilitate the forced placement of
the mounting element 32 into position. In addition to the channel
portion of the mounting element 32, pivot pins 38 extend on either
side of the mounting element 32 generally parallel to the elongate
direction of the associated link 22. The pivot pins 38 thus
extending from either side of each mounting element 32 provide
pivot axes parallel to the associated links 22, and thereby
parallel to the local elongate direction of the chain 18. The
mounting elements 32 are naturally sized to fit between the two
adjacent links 20 as can best be seen in FIG. 6. Pins 40 may be
included to insure a central positioning of the element 32 on the
links 22.
Pivotally mounted to the flexible member 18 and particularly to the
mounting elements 32 mounted on the flexible member 18 are rocker
elements 42. The rocker elements 42 are pivotally mounted on the
pins 38 and one rocker element 42 is mounted to each side of the
mounting elements 32. Bores are provided through the rocker
elements 42 for receipt of the pins 38. As the pivot pins 38 are
aligned with the local elongate direction of the chain 18 and
displaced laterally from the center of the conveying path, the
rocker elements 42 are constrained to pivot such that they tip
laterally to roll product units 10 laterally from the conveyor. The
rocker elements 42 are spaced on either side of the mounting
elements 32 such that two rocker elements 42 with an interposed
mounting element 32 form a link set. Each link set is substantially
equal to the length of the link 22 to which the mounting element 32
is affixed. This link set thus moves with the link 22 to always be
parallel therewith. Because the link set is roughly equal in length
to the link 22, the sets are less likely to interfere with adjacent
sets and other components as will be further described.
Looking in detail to the structure of the rocker element 42, each
element has a support face 44 which is concave. This concavity is
relatively shallow as can best be seen in the drawings. In this
way, a wide variety of products may be positioned on the support
faces 44. Additionally, off-loading is facilitated by the shallow
concavity, particularly with products of smaller diameter. The
tipping of the rocker element 42 is advantageously arranged such
that the face 44 is tipped to an extent that there is no uphill
path for the product unit 10 in off-loading. This relationship is
best illustrated by the right conveyor of FIG. 4 where the rocker
element 42 is fully pivoted for off-loading of the product unit
10.
Located centrally in the support face 44 of each rocker element 42
is a transverse ridge 46. The ridges 46 on the rocker elements 42
are transverse in that they generally run perpendicular to the
elongate direction of the conveying support. In their position on
the support faces 44, the ridges extend upwardly to a position
below the outer ends of the support faces 44. Thus, an elongate
conveying support generally defined by the spaced support faces 44
of the rocker element 42 forms an elongate channel having
transverse ridges therein. With the concavity of the support faces
44 and the ridges 46, individual cavities between ridges are
defined or receipt of product units. The ridges 46 defining
cavities, by not extending upwardly the full height of the support
faces 44, do not completely divide the elongate conveying support
channel. This allows product units which are larger than any
individual cavity to be retained on the conveyor without being in
an unstable position. Thus, such items as cucumbers and carrots
will be retained in spite of the spanning of multiple ridges
46.
Looking further to the rocker elements 42, a stop 48 prevents
excessive pivoting of these rocker elements 42. The full pivoted
extent of movement of the rocker elements 42 is best illustrated in
FIG. 4 where the stop 48 has come into contact with the pin 24 of
the chain 18. On the side of the rocker element 42 opposite to the
pivot axis is a protrusion 50 extending laterally from the
conveying path. The protrusions 50 are rigidly fixed to the rocker
elements 42 by means of a support member 52 extending downwardly
from the support face 44. Each protrusion 50 defines a wedge or
wedge surface 54 on the leading bottom side thereof to form a
leading edge 56 to avoid interference with additional components of
the system as will be described below. To add versatility to the
components employed, the protrusions 50 are generally symmetrically
shaped with a wedge surface and a leading edge in the opposite
direction in order that the elements 42 may be equally applied for
movement in either direction.
Between link sets, guide elements 58 are snap fitted to the links
20. The guide elements 58 are best illustrated in cross section in
FIG. 5. These elements include an upper surface 60 adding to the
elongate conveying support also defined by the rocker elements 42
and the mounting elements 32. Extended legs 62 and 64 extend
downwardly within each link 20 and are retained therein by means of
a shoulder at 65. The legs 62 and 64 along with the upper face 60
define a channel extending in the direction of the conveying path.
This channel is arranged to accept the elongate conveying support
30 to better retain the flexible member 18 in position. The guide
elements 58 include spacers 66 as can best be seen in FIG. 6 to
properly locate the rocker elements 42 which are otherwise slidably
retained on the pivot pins 38.
Means are disclosed in this preferred embodiment for the selective
pivoting of individual rocker elements 42 to tip the-portion of the
conveying support defined by the rocker elements 42. This means
includes, in the preferred embodiment, a ramp 68 which is
positioned adjacent to the conveying path for selective cooperation
with the protrusions 50 of the rocker elements 42. The ramp 68 is
generally arranged to avoid the protrusions 50 by having a channel
defined by the support face 44, the extension 52 and the protrusion
50 of the rocker element 42 pass around the ramp 68. The ramp is
fixed to the conveyor support 28 by means of a bracket 70. The ramp
68 is shaped with a leading wedge section 72 extending to a leading
edge 74. The leading edge 74 cooperates with the leading edge 56 of
each protrusion 50 which is leading towards the ramp 68 to avoid
interlocking of the elements in the direction of the conveying
path. The ramp 68 may also include a wedge section 76 at the other
end of the ramp 68 in case the conveyor may be driven in the
opposite direction.
Positioned ahead of the ramp 68 is a selectively movable actuator
78 which includes a pivot solenoid 80 having a shaft 82 extending
therefrom. The shaft 82 is pivotally actuated by the solenoid 80
upon an input signal which may be electronically controlled. A
finger 84 is pivotally driven by the pivot solenoid 80 to come into
interference with a protrusion 50 of individual rocker elements 42.
The protrusions 50 as well as the rocker elements 42 move along the
conveying path in a first path past the actuator 78 and ramp 68.
The finger 84 of the actuator 78 causes the protrusion 50 to move
in a second path generally perpendicular to the travel, or first
path, along the conveying path of the conveyor. This results in
pivotal movement of the rocker element 42 about the pivot pins 38.
By appropriate timing and placement of the actuator 78, selected
rocker elements 42 may be forced upwardly such that the wedge
surface 54 of the protrusions 50 will engage the wedge portion 72
of the ramp 68 and be further driven upwardly by the cam surface of
the ramp 68 as can best be seen in FIG. 7.
The orientation, shape and length of the ramps 68 employed can be
selected to provide specific performance characteristics. The
length of the ramp 68 may be generally selected to be at least
equal to the span of rocker elements 42 which are supporting a
given unit of product. Naturally, in the case of cucumbers, a
longer ramp may be beneficially employed than for oranges. It
should be remembered that the ramp for oranges can be equally long
without difficulty. With products highly susceptible to injury, the
wedge portion 72 of the ramp 68 may have a smaller included angle
to more slowly raise the rocker elements 42. The product is thus
accelerated laterally at a lower rate to accommodate its delicate
nature. Where irregularly shaped products are being handled, an
increased included angle of the wedge portion 72 of the ramp 68 may
be used to effect a more vigorous off-loading. Naturally, the
selection of the included angle must accommodate the speed of the
conveyor to accomplish the appropriate off-loading motion.
In constructing the foregoing components, the several elements 32,
42 and 58 located on the chain 18 may be conveniently formed from
plastic materials. The chain itself is advantageously of steel for
good wear resistance. The finger 84 may be of spring steel wire
while the ramp has been found to be preferably formed of a low
friction, low wear material such as Micarta.
Looking to the overall construction of the conveyor, guide flanges
86 may be positioned on either side of the conveying paths to
insure proper conveyance of product units. It is not intended that
these flanges 86 do more than simply return the product units to
the conveyor if displaced. The flanges do not themselves move with
the flexible member 18.
In FIG. 3, two conveyor assemblies are illustrated side by side.
The tipping action of the rocker elements 42 is illustrated in FIG.
4 to be from one conveyor to the other so that products may be
rolled between assemblies. The receiving conveyor may also be
tipped as can be seen in FIG. 4 to accept the product units.
Additionally, the receiving conveyor may be driven faster than the
first conveyor to further spread out the product. With the dual
conveyor system, the product may be rolled to expose the other side
thereof for inspection or treating. A similar guide flange 88 may
be arranged to prevent the slowly rolling product from falling from
the shallow cavities of the second conveyor.
This product handling system is intended to be compatible with an
electronic sensing system 90 which senses condition of the conveyed
product and monitors its location on the conveyor. When a
preselected condition is sensed, such a system is capable of
sending information to the actuator 78 in order that the
appropriate rocker elements 42 may be tipped to off-load the
product unit. Such a system may be used for excluding blemished
food products from a line of acceptable food products. In the
device of FIG. 3, a first sensing by first sensing means 92 is
accomplished with the units 10 in a first orientation while a
second sensing by second sensing means 94 is accomplished once the
units have rolled from the first conveyor to the second conveyor.
In this way, the majority of the product surface can be observed.
In the case of simply off-loading certain products, a soft path may
be provided for the off-loaded products as conventionally
available. Alternately, the product may be discharged into a
water-filled flume where it is conveyed to succeeding processes. In
the case of the unloading of all remaining products on the
conveyor, a simple cam surface on a ramp which extends fully into
the path of movement of the protrusions 50 may be used to tip the
entire elongate support at the off-loading station. Alternately,
the products may be discharged from the end of the conveyor without
tipping of the rocker elements 42.
Thus, an improved product handling system has been disclosed. While
embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and
described, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that
many more modifications are possible without departing from the
inventive concepts herein. The invention, therefore, is not to be
restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.
* * * * *